Lucinda O'Sullivan's Ireland

About The Restaurant

NOTE NEW ADDRESS - 80 WHITEFRIAR STREET - ACROSS THE ROAD FROM ORGINAL PREMISES.
With Whitefriar Street Church being its best known landmark I suppose I might be forgiven for saying that heretofore Aungier Street has always been more “mantilla” land than “Manolo” land. Indeed, you might do well to go and pay St Jude and St. Valentine a visit before you go across and undoubtedly commit sin by overindulging in Darwin’s Restaurant, which does very good food. “Metro Metro - City City- Downtown Downtown” is what the lights from Darwin’s screamed at me as I whizzed past one evening – you couldn’t miss it – blue and orange wall lights loomed out from behind its blinds . Darwin’s is owned by a local butcher, Michael Smith, and the speciality is steaks but, if the specialty is steak, the rest of the food is also excellent and this restaurant since my initial visit has proved a tremendous success. Starters generally priced under €10 include a French country style pate served with a red onion and blackcurrant marmalade; Tempura king prawns with angel hair noodles and a chilli dipping sauce, and wild mushroom, sundried tomato risotto, which we had on our visit and which was fabulous. You can also have fresh oysters served natural or with a kick – which is two shots of Darwin’s Blood Mary Dressing. They also do an antipasto plate for two, which is a selection hors d’oeuvres. Carnivorous Mains €21/€32 include a Seafood Mixed Grill and an interesting Bouillabaisse – the classic French fish stew associated with Marseilles and which at Darwin’s includes white fish, mussels, chorizo and celeriac cream. Another French influence on the menu is panfried gurnard with a creamy Savoy cabbage. Their meat, of course, is fabulous, and they do a great lamb plate, which has a chargrilled half rack and a roasted eye fillet marinated in garlic and rosemary served with mint jus. Slow roasted pork belly is also popular and their Surf n Turf is a variation of the norm being tender 10 oz veal rib-eye topped with garlic tiger prawn. As to steaks you can have an 11 oz premium eye fillet; a 12 oz centre cut mignon; a 14 oz dry aged striploin or New York cut striploin or a 14 oz rib-eye or you can go the whole hog with an 18 oz juicy centre cut T-bone. Pick your sauce from peppercream, mushroom, garlic butter, Béarnaise or red wine jus. The food was so good we just had to try the desserts €7/€9 which included Rhubarb Fool; Eton Mess; Bread and Butter Pudding and Warm Chocolate Cake served with chocolate sauce and Belgian ice cream. Lunch is an inexpensive casual menu and there is also a pre-theatre menu Monday to Thursday from 5.30 to 7 p.m. €23.00/€26.50.

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